Weed-cutter



M. W. FLEET.

WEED CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED IuNEYIs, 1920.

1,391,823, l v PatentodS-ept. 27, 1921.

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53) 75l/'s moana/1 I @5MM We Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

[MEETON W. FLEET, or NATIONAL, wAsHTNeToN.

WEED-GUTTER.

Application led .Tune 15,

To aZZwwm t may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, MEnToN W. FLEET, a citizen of the United States, andresident of National, county of Lewis, and State of Vashi'ngton, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements Y in Need-Cutters, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements 1n weed cutting devices, and moreparticularly to devices .of that character especially adapted forcutting weeds along a railway track; the principal object of theinvention being to provide a device for this purpose, comprising weedcutting blades that maybe operatively suspended from a locomotive or cartruck, and which are equipped with means whereby, one riding in thelocomotive may actuate or move the blades into or from cutting position.

It is also an obj ect of the invention to provide a device of thischaracter comprising a pair of blades for vcutting weeds between therails of a track and from which blades are extended laterally toAoverlie and cut the weeds at the outer sides of the rails. Also, toprovide actuating mechanism whereby all the blades may be simultaneouslymoved, by a single lever, into or from cutting position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter that will be relatively inexpensive, easily mounted andoperated, and which will very effectively perform the work for which itis intended.

In accomplishing these and other objects ofthe invention, I haveprovided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinn Figurel isa sideelevation of a part of a locomotive, showing a weed'cutting devicemounted thereon according to b the present invention, and shown inraised position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the weed cutting device removed from thelocomotive but in cutting position relative to the track.

Referring more in detail to the drawings; 1 and 2, respectively,designate forward and rearward supporting cross bars which may be fixedin any suitable manner to the trucks or frame parts of a locomotive 3,or other car, in such manner as to support the cutter parts, presentlydescribed, directly over the track on which the locomotive or car isadapted to travel.

The forward bar l is eguipped, at its opposite end, with rearward yextending brack- Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Sept-27, 1921.

1920. serial No. 389,216.

ets 4, and revolubly supported therein, crosswise with respect to thetrack, is a hanger rod 5 having downturned opposite end portions 6, anda central off-set crank portion?. The cross bar 2 has down turnedsections 8 at its opposite ends provided with a series of pairedaperturesY 9 wherein the horizontal end portions 10 of a hanger member11 may be pivotally extended; this hanger comprises alined off-setportions 12 which correspond to the two hanger portions 6 of the member5, anda central off-set portion 13 corresponding to, and which isconnected by an actuating rod 14, with the crank portion 'i' ofr themember 5, so that these two hanger members may be actuated together, intheir supports, in a pivotal or swinging manner.

Pivotally suspended from the lower ends lof the downturned ends 6 of thehanger 5,

and thecorresponding oset portions 12 of the hanger 11, are a pair ofcutter blades 15- and 16, which are supported in a `horizontal planewith their forward ends at such' spaced apart distance that when incutting position they will be disposed closely to the inside of thetrack rails 17, and theirrearward ends will be overlapped to form aV-shaped cutter. These blades are sharpened on their inner edges andwhen carried forward will receive the weeds in a sort of wedge formedthereby which is very effective in operation.

Extending laterally and rearwardly from the blades 15 and 16, are cutterblades 18 and 19, each of which is sharpened along its forward Side andhas an upwardly Voffset portion 2O which is adapted to overlie the railat that side and permit the blade or cutter portions to extend closelyto the ties. These lateral blades are fixed rigidly to the centralblades and are moved therewith into and from cutting position.

One end of the hanger 11 has a laterally vturned crank portion 25 towhich is attached Vone end of a connecting rod 26 which at its oppositeend is likewise attached to a lever 27 that may be mounted at anyposition where it can be conveniently'operated by one on thellocomotive, and which, when moved rearwardly, will actuate the hangers11 and 5, which are connected by the rod 14, in such manner that theblades will be lowered to cutting position, as shown in Fig. 2, and whenmoved forwardly will actuate the hangers in a manner that will raisethe` cutter blades from operative position, as they are shown in Fig. 1.

Assuming that the device is so constructed, and mounted, on a locomotiveas shown, or on any other type of car, it is apparent that the cuttingblades could be moved into or from cutting position by actuation of thelever 27, and when in cutting position, and the locomotive traveling ata moderate speed, will very effectively cut the weeds between and at theoutside of the rails.

lt is also apparent that by adjustment of the lever 27, the cutterblades may be adjusted to out close to the ties or at a higher level, orcould be moved to their nonfunctional position. Such a device would beeifiective in operation, could be made durable,

and would be relatively inexpensive in its construction and operation.

What I claim as new, is:

l. The combination with Jriarne members of a railway car or the likemounted to ktravel on parallel rails, of a weed-cutting device carriedby said frame comprising a pair of rearwardly converging cutter bladessharpened along their inner edges, and means operable from the car foractuating the blades to and from cutting position between the saidrails.

2. The combination with frame members of a railway car r the likemounted to travel upon parallel rails, of a weed cutting devicecomprising apair of rearwardly converging cutting blades suspendedbeneath said frame members vto operate between the said rails, laterallyextending blades fixed to the first named blades tov Aswiiwinvl` mountedhangers a Jair of rear- D D D 3 wardly converging cutter bladessupported at their opposite -ends bysald hangers for Voperation betweenthe rails on which the car Vis mounted, laterally extending blades fixedvto the first named blades to overlie and extend beyond the said rails,a lever pivotally attachee to the car, and rod Xed to said lever and tooneA of said hangers whereby the latter may be actuated to swing theblades to and from cutting position.

Signed at Seattle, King county, Washington, this 26th day of May, 1920.

MERTON W. FLEET.

